I was Involved in an accident, Officer was scared ____. . .well, you fill in the blank.

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So, I am involved in an accident Tuesday. Unfortunately, I got banged up a bit as did my wife and my poor old truck needs some TLC now. Long story short, this is just one more straw in a long line of straws recently. We have had about enough bad, would like to see some good.

Anyway, I am at the scene, helping the other guy, he's not hurt and the City Cop shows up. I had met him previously. He seemed like a nice guy when I last spoke with him. When he got there, I was talking with the other fella.

The cop walks up and begins talking with me in a cordial manner with concern for my well-being when some minutes into our conversation, he notices my mags in their dual mag pouch on my off side. His face goes from friendly to stern, he stiffens up like an ironing board and thumbs the thumb break on his Glock while firmly grasping the Glock's grip.

He asks me why I have mags on my belt and I say, "I open carry". He asks what kind of gun and I say "a .45". He steps back, taking a defensive stance and asks, do you have it on you? as he is looking at my empty holster. I replied, "It's in the truck". He then went into a monologue on how cops have a attitude about gun carry for a reason.

I talked at length with him about it and found out his father had been killed in the line of duty and alluded to that being the reason for his response. My response to his attitude change and his questioning was very neutral to friendly as I did not want to get shot and I did relate as my grandfather had also died in the line of duty in Buffalo New York. He was a tough Irish Cop who gave everything.
This cop eventually calmed down, snapped the thumb break on his Glock and went on with the accident business after he realized he wasn't going to get shot. He figured I probably was OK.

I relate this to illustrate that the cop you may face may be stunned that you carry and his reaction to you may be fueled by fear due to circumstances that have absolutely nothing to do with you. In this case, his father's death.

Point being, that you don't have to cower, or back down. Just be confident, polite and move very slowly. Alls well that ends well.

I have to admit that my heart really got a workout that day. WOW!

Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid. Han Solo

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And here comes the same ole'story of every LEO that fears firearms, it's sad that they see us OC'rs as a threat, when really it's not OUR guns they need to be worried about in the first place. I'm not sure of the odds, but I guarantee you that there was at least 5 ppl they walked passedon the same day that were CCW and because it was out of sight, it was out of mind...

So is the foley of LE, it is a shame thatthey associate us with the criminals who they need to be worried about in the first place.

Altho I will say that the officer mentioned above did handle himself ok, question is, I wonderif he wouldhave acted the sameif you indeed hadthe ole'hardballeron ya?

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Sorry to hear about your accident. I didn't know your wife was with you. What city were you in?

Last Tuesday at Kwik Trip in Whitehall, after paying for gas, I came out to see a Whitehall City Police Officer pumping gas into his squad. I had to walk past him to get to my vehicle. I said, "Hola" and he replied "Good Morning".No reaction,althoughhe did turn a about 90 degrees to watch me unload and case my firearm.

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....
This cop eventually calmed down, snapped the thumb break on his Glock and went on with the accident business after he realized he wasn't going to get shot. He figured I probably was OK. ....

Great story, Hardballer! Cops aren't one-dimensional and are usually people just like us, trying to overcome the 'straws" in life. Here's a guy who lost his Dad in the line of duty and yet he is out there upholding the tradition; and he learned that you aren't one-dimensional either, with your own history and approach to the "straws" in your life.

Thanks for being a good ambassador, one cop at a time.

Sorry about your recent accident;I hope you and your wife and your truck make a speedy recovery.

Dave

Dave45ACP-For when you care enough to send the very best-Fight for "Stand Your Ground " legislation! WI DA Gerald R. Fox:
"These so-called 'public safety' laws only put decent law-abiding citizens at a dangerous disadvantage when it comes to their personal safety, and I for one am glad that this decades-long era of defective thinking on gun issues is over..."Remember: Don't make old People mad. We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to piss us off.

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Thanks for the well wishes gentlemen, much appreciated. The truck is in much better shape than me or my wife and she really did not need any more but you get what you get. We'll pass through this just as we have overcome difficult times in the past.

As for the officer, he is young and appears to be a good, caring person so I had no beef with him. I just tried to reassure him throughout the exchange that I was a good guy and he was OK. I mentioned that I had carried in his town several times before and I would not be surprised if he had not heard of it.

My adrenalin was pumping from the accident and now from him so I just tried to slow down my speech and use none confrontational words, comforting words.

I My brain was in overdrive so I had a couple of conversations with my self at the same time. No body drew a weapon so I figured it was a good day and now he knows I carry in his village and will in the future.

Not exactly the way I saw that going down but hey, roll with the flow.

Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid. Han Solo

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My truck is a little busted up but after I replace a light and heck with the cosmetics, she'll be just fine. The car was a Toyota Carola.

I'd give the cop the benefit of the doubt though. I was crouched when he approached and my off side with the mag carrier was showing. I have a few friends who are LEOs and they are justified in their caution. I doubt I would be much different if the shoe were on the other foot.

After decades of being the only gun in town, so to speak and now we have a new day, it will take a little getting used to. The thing they don't get is that their risk hasn't gone up because the same people that would have been a threat to them, still are.

Bad guys are still bad guys and likely still carry concealed. But concealed or open carry, bad guys will still be the same and good guys are not a threat. Same ratio. So for the cops, it is unreasonable fear of a gun.

Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid. Han Solo

imported post

hardballer wrote:

So, I am involved in an accident Tuesday. Unfortunately, I got banged up a bit as did my wife and my poor old truck needs some TLC now. Long story short, this is just one more straw in a long line of straws recently. We have had about enough bad, would like to see some good.

Anyway, I am at the scene, helping the other guy, he's not hurt and the City Cop shows up. I had met him previously. He seemed like a nice guy when I last spoke with him. When he got there, I was talking with the other fella.

The cop walks up and begins talking with me in a cordial manner with concern for my well-being when some minutes into our conversation, he notices my mags in their dual mag pouch on my off side. His face goes from friendly to stern, he stiffens up like an ironing board and thumbs the thumb break on his Glock while firmly grasping the Glock's grip.

He asks me why I have mags on my belt and I say, "I open carry". He asks what kind of gun and I say "a .45". He steps back, taking a defensive stance and asks, do you have it on you? as he is looking at my empty holster. I replied, "It's in the truck". He then went into a monologue on how cops have a attitude about gun carry for a reason.

I talked at length with him about it and found out his father had been killed in the line of duty and alluded to that being the reason for his response. My response to his attitude change and his questioning was very neutral to friendly as I did not want to get shot and I did relate as my grandfather had also died in the line of duty in Buffalo New York. He was a tough Irish Cop who gave everything.
This cop eventually calmed down, snapped the thumb break on his Glock and went on with the accident business after he realized he wasn't going to get shot. He figured I probably was OK.

I relate this to illustrate that the cop you may face may be stunned that you carry and his reaction to you may be fueled by fear due to circumstances that have absolutely nothing to do with you. In this case, his father's death.

Point being, that you don't have to cower, or back down. Just be confident, polite and move very slowly. Alls well that ends well.